Sign up now for SUMMER SERVICES! In-Home Care, Adult Day Program, Short-Term Respite Care. Contact Amy Rich 207-846-5610 or amy.rich@islandcommons.com
Our Winter Newsletter
CLICK ON THE HEART for a peek at daily life at the Island Commons
Two new wheelchairs added to the Island Commons’ popular Medical Loan Closet!
As many Chebeaguers know, the Commons for years has operated a medical loan closet, stocked with a variety of home health equipment, including crutches, commodes, shower seats and walkers, available free of charge. Accidents happen, and the loan closet has come to the rescue numerous times for the year-round and seasonal Chebeague community.
Thanks to a grant from the Jonah and Elizabeth Dyer Charitable Foundation of South Portland to support the Commons’ community service programs, we have acquired two new wheelchairs to augment the loan closet inventory. One is a 19-inch-wide transport chair (compatible with ramps to CTC ferry) and the other a 20-inch- wide standard wheelchair.
The Commons is pleased to be able to offer use of these chairs to islanders at no charge. Special arrangements can be made for extended use. For insurance purposes, borrowers are asked to complete a sign-out sheet .
Questions? Please contact Commons Administrator Amy Rich or Care Manager Christina Sawtelle or call (207) 846-5610.
We recently received a significant bequest from Linda White, a long-time Island Commons supporter. Read HERE about this transformative gift and its impact on our long term sustainability.
Grant for Fire Sprinkler Upgrade! We’re so very grateful to the Jonah and Elizabeth Dyer Charitable Corporation for funding 100% of the cost of our mandatory fire sprinkler system upgrade. Changes in the National Fire Code require this upgrade by close of this year, and this was a completely unanticipated (and unbudgeted for) expense.
Our 2021 improvement projects are complete! We have a new roof, including a new covered entrance, vinyl siding on the original structure, an upgraded equipment loan closet and new, secure trash & recycling storage. Many thanks to Maine State Housing Authority for funding these improvements. Thank you to Board Member Jim Lunt for getting doing all the legwork necessary to get this project funded, and to Doug Ross, Pelton Electric, Rich Plumbing Inc, Nathan Doughty, Affordable Tree Service, and the Clean Cut Building & Remodeling crew for all the great work!
We’re looking forward to offering expanded in-home & community services ….CLICK HERE for a letter of introduction from CRMA Stephanie Smith, who has returned to Island Commons full-time in the position of Community Care Navigator
The annual Easter Egg Hunt. Many thanks to the Church & Rec Center to holding their event at the Commons for our residents to enjoy!
Equipment Loan Closet: IMPORTANT UPDATE! Our insurer is now requiring a signed release from equipment borrowers. Form and details on the Services tab. Also note that,due to pandemic restrictions and safety guidelines, we are requiring that you call ahead to arrange a pick-up time. Thank you!
Thank you, Town of Chebeague Island, for including the Commons in the “Keep Maine Healthy” grant!
Staying connected with family & friends is extremely important to the well being of our elders, and the onset of COVID-19 frayed those connections. Outside visits with family resumed in June, but with cold weather upon us, outdoor visits are no longer possible. We explored various options for hosting indoor visits safely, but with space at the Commons very limited and our finances already strained by the added expense of COVID-19, the solutions were far from ideal. The award of a re-built monitor and a plexiglass sneeze guard came just in time, and coincided perfectly with the Red Studio closing for the season. Now we have the place and the means to allow our residents to enjoy family visits safe and indoors until the warm weather returns. Thank you!
SUNDAY DINNER!
November 9th.
Lobsterman Gary Ross delivered 12 steaming-hot lobsters for residents and staff to enjoy. Thank you, Gary, for the special treat. Yummy!
Grab bags are stuffed, pumpkins are decorated…stop by on your Halloween jaunt, grab a treat & show off your costume!
We won’t be able to host you inside this year, but treats will be stationed just outside the entry door. We’ll be watching and waving from just inside!
The gardens and grounds around the Commons received a fall makeover on Friday when three Idexx company workers arrived for a morning of community service. Idexx encourages its employees to perform community service as part of the company’s Global Idexx Volunteer Effort (GIVE). This fall the Commons was a lucky recipient. The three Idexx workers were Sarah Caron, Kathy Morissette and Nick Jillson, who grabbed rakes, clippers and brooms. They were joined by Kim Venkataraman of Chebeague, Kathy’s sister. We’re so grateful for their time, energy and volunteerism. The place is all tucked in for winter!
A bit of great news for the Commons! Our application has been approved for a 0% 5-year forgivable loan from the Supportive Housing Program of Maine State Housing Authority. The nearly $120,000 loan will fund our roof replacement, including a roof extension over our entry door to provide winter protection from snow and ice. In addition, our residents will get upgraded fixtures in their bathrooms, we’ll replace the remaining wood siding on the original structure with vinyl siding to match the 1998 addition, and undertake several improvements to our various outbuildings. After five years, the entire loan will be forgiven as long as we remain open and continue to serve our population. Many thanks to board member Jim Lunt, who spent countless hours preparing requests for proposals and submitting the loan application for us.
On behalf of all of us at the Commons, a huge thanks to everyone who made our online auction, Bid Hello to Summer!, such a success. This includes our generous sponsors, the lively bidders on our auction items, donors of wonderful goods and services, all who contributed arts and crafts, and to our talented Transformers, who applied some creative TLC to treasures from the garage.
As with anything new, we weren’t sure what to expect, especially during this unusual summer. The cancellation of our annual cruise fundraiser, as well as the popular Jenny Wren Run, made the financial success of the auction even more critical. Once again, the wonderful Chebeague community — which includes folks on the island and others scattered across the country — came through with such generosity. For that, we are extremely grateful.
WE THANK OUR INDIVIDUAL & CORPORATE SPONSORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT
BAY MIST CRUISE cancelled
BAD NEWS: We’ve had to cancel our 2020 Bay Mist Cruise due to COVID-19
GOOD NEWS: We’ve already booked our date for 2021! Sunday July 18, 2020 4:00pm
Much as we’d love to celebrate with everybody at the Commons' Shamrock Shindig this Friday, we’re canceling the event. Call us overly-cautious, but the health of our residents and staff is our highest priority. Even if somebody came down with a sniffle after the party, we’d not be happy. We’ll have other opportunities to get together in the future. Stay healthy!
December 3, 2019: CLICK HERE to read board president Susan Stranahan’s letter to Senator Angus King regarding proposed legislation to expand telehealth services. Lo and behold, Sen. King’s office called Susan this morning to find out more about Island Commons and the challenges we face. Reaching out beyond our tiny island to advocate for rural elders…all in a day’s work. Thank you, Susan!
